Loose-leaf book or binder



1, 1,7 March 1927 w. R. HOWSFHELD 6 83 LDOSE LEAF BOOK 0R BINDER Filed May 1. 1924 'a'sheets-sneet 1 A T TOR/11E Y3 March 22, 1927 W. R. HOR5FIELD LOOSE LEAF-BOOK OliBINDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 1, 1924 Patented Mar. 22, 1927.

UNITED STATES if 1,621,783 PATENT OFFICE...

\VA'LTER R. HORSFIEHLD, G33 SELLY OAK, BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, TO MOZR- I LAND AND IMPEY,'IJI1VIIT-ED, 016 NORTHFEUE'LD, TERMINGHAM, E NGL'IALNID.

LOOSE-LEAF 3300K 0R Application filed May l, 1924., serial No. US$35, and in Great Britain May 19., 1 923.

he of relatively light construction; and in which the covers may vary in size without changing the tightening mechanism.

ith this general object in view, the invention consists in the combinations, details of construction, and arrangements of parts which will first be described in connection with the drawings and then more particularly pointed out.

In the drawings--- Figure l is a view in side elevation of a loose leaf book or hinder constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 2 is a view of the same in horizontal section showing the lower cover in plan, with parts broken away and removed;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line .3-3 of Fig. 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2;

Figure l) is :a plan view of the book or binder in open position with parts cut away and removed and parts in section;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the broken line "6-6 of F ig. 5; and,

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawings, in the embodiment illustrated, a stifi" bar 21 of trough section is formed by bending a metal strip along its longitudinal center. One of such bars is used to form the rear or inner edge of each cover. A. pair of thongs 22 or the like are attached to one of the bars and in sorted through slots in the other, metal pieces 23 attached to the ends of the thongs and arranged to lie between the sides of one of the bars 21 serving to prevent detachment of the thongs from that bar; or the thongs may be riveted in position between two sides of one of the bars 21 without the metal pieces 23. i

The free ends of the thongs are secured to a movable cross bar 24. The bar 24 shown in the drawings is made from a pair of siniiilar thin steel strips which are bulged at the center to receive a screw 25, the bulge being threaded for engagement by the threads of being arranged in tension as is usual, is arranged in compression and is made sufiicientily still to resist the usual stresses without bending. The screw engages the cross bar 2 1 as aforesaid, and takes its abutment in the adjacent edge bar 21. Connection may be effected between one end of the screw and the said edge bar by the formation of :a shoulder .26 on the screw which co-operat-es with .a slot in the bar, the material of the bar at the parts indicated by 27 being pressed inwards on both sides to form a socket which embraces the screw as shown in Fig. 7. The portions at 2.7 on opposite sides of the screw are secured by rivets 28. A hole 29 is formed in the outer edge of the bar for the reception of a key .30, which can be engaged with the square end 31 of the screw for actuating the screw.

In conjunction with the edge bars are provided a pair of separate flat clamping bars 3'2or strips which co-operate with the sheets and .on which the curved edges of the bars 21 can roll when the covers are opened and closed. If desired, a hinge connection may be arranged between each edge bar 21 and the adjacent clamping bar :32.

Itwill be evident that the combination and arrangement of parts above described is selfcontained, and constitutes an operative means which requires no further addition to make it serve for securing together a number of leaves placed on the thongs 22 between the clamping bars 32.

To complete the binder, covers are needed, but as these are not required to take any of the stress set up by the tightening mechanism when the screw is operated, the covers may be of light and inexpensive construction. For example, they may be made of cardboard, with or without a covering material. One of the covers v( as .33) may comprise one or more thicknesses of cardboard secured to the trough shaped edge bar 21 to which the thongs are secured. The other cover is likewise made up from cardboard, but is also made hollow or is recessed on its inner side to accommodate the moving cross bar 24, thongs 22 and screw 25. One convenient construction of the hollow cover comprises a stout sheet 34: of cardboard secured to its edge bar 21, and gapped to form a rectangular recess 35. A thin sheet 36 forms the inner side of the cover, and on this are secured a pair of longitudinal strips 37 which divide the recess 35 into three narrower recesses. The thongs 22 lie in the outer recesses and the screw 25 in the center one as shown in Fig. 3. The cover is completed by a thin outer sheet 38 which has secured to its inner face two strips 39 similar to the strips 37. The cross bar 24 slid-es between the strips 37 and 39 as shown in Fig. 4. The strips 37, 39, support the inner and outer parts of the cover and prevent crushing of the said parts on to the mechanism. The covers may be enclosed by any suitable canvas, leather or other material. This material is made to enclose the metal edge bar as well as the other edges and the outer side of each cover. vIf desired, portions of the metal edge bar may be exposedby'the formation of gaps in the portion of the enclosing material which passes round the edge bar. For example, in the finished cover short'lengths of the exposed metal edge bar may alternate with the enclosed portions. Preferably the enclosed portions are slightly recessed below the exposed portions in order that the latter may take the wear due to rubbing on the adjacent clamping bar.

The mechanical and constructional details above described are capable of being varied in a number of ways, but in all cases the stress set up by the screw mechanism in one of the covers is taken by the bar along the rear or inner edge of the cover.

It is noted, moreover, that with the construction above described, the screw is operated by a key applied at the edge bar. Consequently, the covers may vary in size without any change in the binding mechanism.

The operation of the device will be clear from the above without any further description.

What I claim is:

1. In a loose leaf book or binder, and in combination, a pair of edge bars adapted to serve as the rear edges of a cover, binding thongs passing freely through one of said edge bars and being secured to the other, a movable cross bar to which one end of each of'the thongs is secured, a screw in threaded engagement with the cross bar and in rotatable connection with the first-named edge bar, and interacting means on the screw and first-named edge bar whereby the tension of the thongs is transmitted through the cross bar and screw to the edge bar.

2. In loose leaf books or binders, and in combination, an edge bar adapted to serve .as the rear edgeof a cover, binding thongs passing freely through said bar, a movable cross bar to which one end of each of the thongs is secured, a screw in threaded engagement with the cross bar and in rotatable connection with the edge bar, interacting means on the screw and edge bar whereby the tension of the thongs is transmitted through the cross bar and screw to the edge bar, and means whereby the screw can be actuated at the edge bar end.

3. A loose leaf book or binder such as claimed in claim 1, in which the screw is in compression.

4-. In loose leaf books or binders and in combination, a pair of hollow edge bars each formed by bending or folding a metal strip, thongs attached to one of the bars and passed freely through the other, a cross bar to which the free ends of the thongs are secured, a screw acting in compression between the movable cross bar and one of the edge bars, covers attached to the edge bars, one of the covers being hollow and provided with internal strips which support the inner and outer sides of the cover and prevent crush-' ing of the same on to the mechanism, sub stantially as described.

5. In loose leaf books or binders and in combination, a pair of edge bars, thongs attached to one of the bars and passing freely through the other, a movable cross bar to which the free ends of the thongs are secured, a screw acting in compression be tween the cross bar and one of the .edge bars, and covers secured to the edge bars and including a hollow cover constructed from a gapped main portion adapted to accommodate the cross bar, the screw and portions of the thongs, an inner and an outer sheet attached to said main portion, and strips arranged opposite each other on inner sides of said sheets, said strips being located within the gap of the main portion, substantially as described.

6. In loose leaf books or binders, and in combination, two complementary edge bars adapted. to serve as the rear edges of a cover, covers secured thereto, binding thongs secured to one edge bar and passing freely through the other edge bar, a movable cross bar associated with one of said covers and to which the thongs are secured, a screw in threaded engagement with the cross bar and in rotatable engagement with one edge bar, a portion of the screw at the edge bar end being adapted to receive an operating element.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

WALTER R. HORSFIELD. 

